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turbosc20
Dodge Dakota
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4/29/2003
08:43:11

Subject: 20 mpg on road trip
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I have a 2001 Dodge Dakota 4.7L 4x4 (Reg cab, All stock, K&N filter) and last weekend I got 20 mpg with 93 octane from Blacksburg VA ($1.46 for 93!) to Glen Burnie MD. I do this trip every weekend and I normally only get 17.5 mpg with either 87 or 93 octane. (Yes my gas bill is expensive...) My MPH is usually 70 mph (I-81). 80 on I-66.

Was this change due to the weather or something? What is everyone else getting on a roadtrip?

-Tom



DDog84
Dodge Dakota
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4/29/2003
09:28:53

RE: 20 mpg on road trip
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4 weeks ago I went from Howard County MD to Uniontown PA and got about the 17.5 you said you normally get, on 87 octane. It was warm that weekend, but not as warm as it has been around here lately, so I don't know, maybe the weather. I have a 1997 Dakota 5.2L 4x4 ext cab, at the time the only thing on it was a K&N.

Man, that hurts just thinking about what your gas bill might be. You go to VA Tech.



EBL
Dodge Dakota
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4/29/2003
15:17:50

RE: 20 mpg on road trip
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I made 20.2 once. I was driving from Dallas to Houston with 300 lbs of sand in the back end. This was 1mpg better than my previous bests of 19.2 and 19.3. The bizarre thing was I filled up in a seedy part of Dallas and was a bit nervous. When I filled up back at my house I had left the gas cap off. Stupid mistake and the best mpg. Go figure...

I have not tested mpg lately. I just replaced the O2 sensor and repacked the bearings with synthetic lube. I hope it helps...



EBL
Dodge Dakota
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4/29/2003
15:24:37

RE: 20 mpg on road trip
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Oh yeah, I had about 135k on the clock at that time. I have a 92 CC 2WD. 3.31 Diff Ratio.

The speed was 70 m/h.



commonsense
Dodge Dakota
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4/29/2003
20:01:36

RE: 20 mpg on road trip
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we drove my friends 97' ram ext cab 2wd 318 from kansas city to padre island and back through louisiana and got 23mpg for the total trip. crazy thing is we didn't go less than 75 on any interstate and made some hour long runs at 90 or more (one short stint at 115 or so). explain that too me. 87 octane.



02Durango
Dodge Dakota
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4/30/2003
11:01:17

RE: 20 mpg on road trip
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The best I could do was 18.6 over 300 miles with speeds of 65 to 75, mostly 70-75. I also had the AC on. I have the fastman TB and the IP Stage III cold air on my 4.7L Durango. Not too bad if you consider I also had my family in the truck and all our stuff. :-)



JustMe
Dodge Dakota
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4/30/2003
13:37:07

RE: 20 mpg on road trip
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Easter weekend I got just shy of 20mi/gallon. Drove from Roanoke, VA to the Eastern Shore of VA. Took Rt 460 the whole way. Speed limit of 55, drove between 55 and 60. 4.7 L auto 4x4 with 360 air intake.



AmsoilSponsor
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4/30/2003
14:36:12

Improve fuel economy - Amsoil Synthetic Oil
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Guys,
Fuel economy can be very difficult for the consumer to accurately gauge for various reasons. Every time you hit the road conditions are different ... head wind, tail wind, drafting, grade of highway, coasting time, passing, etc.

Might I just suggest (without selling): It has been proven by AMSOIL INC. through use of industry accepted fuel economy tests, field demonstrations and as witnessed by most of our customers, that switching to synthetic oils and lubricants can (and does) improve fuel economy (mpg).

Also, very few of you mentioned what oil viscosity that you are currently using. Depending upon your driving habits, conditions, and climate ... switching viscosities can improve fuel economy also.
--------------------------------------------------



Steven Roark , Amsoil Dealer , Proud Sponsor of www.DodgeDakotas.com

AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils, Lubricants, Filtration, and Truck Care Products



TexasTodd
Dodge Dakota
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4/30/2003
14:59:12

RE: 20 mpg on road trip
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Wow,

and I've been called a liar, for posting 20+ hwy, in my 01 4.7 QC 5spd 2wd!

If you're not having pinging, (predetonation), I'm pretty sure that a higher octane gas is a waste of money.

by the way, was this actual miles/gallons, or the silly trip estimator computer?



02Durango
Dodge Dakota
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4/30/2003
16:03:33

RE: 20 mpg on road trip
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Side note on my truck, I have 5W30 Mobil1 synthetic oil and I have the FT4WD option on my truck. No synthetics in the trans or pumpkins... yet!



turbosc20
Dodge Dakota
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4/30/2003
16:14:13

RE: 20 mpg on road trip
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I get detonation with 87...or 89

Yes, miles divided by gallons. No fancy stuff in my truck =)

Maybe following behind semi trucks closely has something to do with it? Pushing the air out of my way! =)

-Tom



doug4.7
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4/30/2003
19:45:23

RE: 20 mpg on road trip
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Funny, the best mpg I got (21+) was also along that part of I-81 (Blacksburg to Strausburg and then on to DC). Maybe it's that road or something. '03 QC, 4.7 auto, 3.55 rear.



Jacque
Dodge Dakota
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5/01/2003
15:41:31

RE: 20 mpg on road trip
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Get 22-23 miles per gallon on the road with 94 Dakota extend cab with 318 automatic. 17-20 mixed city and road. Modified stock beer barrel intake, modified throttle body, MSD replacement coil, Autolite 3922's, and K@N drop-in replacement filter.
Make sure to install split loom plastic tubing over spark plug wires if you install aftermarket wires to prevent cross fire. Also, Inspect your aftermarket wires from time to time to make sure that they are alright. I saw a major increase in gas mileage when I did that. I had installed some Taylor wires thinking they were better than the stock ones. Some time later, I went to check my plugs and pulled the boot-end off one wire. Put stock wires back on. Took the split loom off the stock wires thinking that they didn't do anything. Was I ever wrong! I was reading an article in Mopar Now about some Champion wires that they considered the best wires they had ever seen for a Dodge Dakota. They also mentioned about the the split looms importance to prevent crossfire from occuring. I just happened to have some and ran it the entire length of the sparkplug wire only because I had enough to do it. Don't know how often it was crossfiring, but there was a noticeable difference in power and how it ran in general after it was corrected. I can only guess but I think the crossfiring condition had been going on for a while and had prevented me from noticing any real gains or changes after making a mod. Have some more mods to try to see if it will help gas mileage. I don't know if it is possible to get any better than I am now. However, unlike some people I seem to get better gas mileage when I drive 55-60; no more.



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